Beneath the Lies
by serpentin3
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia is hiding under the alias of Lucy Filia, burdened by her mother's death and father's cruelty. Her smiles aren't as bright as they used to be. Natsu Dragneel acts like a jerk because he's broken inside. Too many people have left him. These two enemies push their pasts aside, to face the future, realizing the other isn't that bad after all. A/U
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Okay, I think this is how you do it. Just a note in advance, I edit things a lot, so you might want to reread some chapters at times because of that. I'll say in my notes at the beginning if there's anything major that's changed. Hope you enjoy! Please be lenient, as this is my first fanfiction, and review!

**DISCLAIMER:**** I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

_Ow. _I shakily get to my feet, and freeze when I hear the laughter. Natsu Dragneel is laughing hysterically, cackling with his friend Gray Fullbuster. He struts back to his seat, smirking arrogantly, and I kick a random book on the floor towards his feet in a rush of anger. He slips and crashes into Gray, who is in between laughing his head off for the pinkette's stupidity and getting angry that the moron crashed into him. Even better, Natsu's shoe flies off, and with a few seconds until the bell would ring, I kick the shoe out of the classroom, into the mob of students rushing to their classes before they'd be late. Natsu shoots me a dirty look, before disappearing into the crowd to retrieve his sneaker. I grin as the teacher, Mr. Conbolt, walks in, and shuts the door.

"Alright kids, just do whatever until I find the fuck—" He clears his throat suddenly, though I fully realized what the teacher was about to say. "Until I find the attendance sheet."

"Lu-chan!" Levy cries, sliding next to me.

"Ohayo, Levy-chan!" I say smiling at her. "What's up?"

Levy gushes about the new book series she's started reading, and I listen, smiling and laughing along with her.

"Lu-chan?" Levy asks hesitantly after finishing.

"Yeah?" I perk up.

"It's just that you look happier than usual. Did something happen?"

I smirk unconsciously. "Dragneel got his ass handed to him, that's all. The bastard tripped me and I got a face plant, so then I made him trip over a book. And then his shoe fell off and I kicked it into the mob of students." I snicker and Levy sweat-drops.

"Don't you think you're taking it a little far?"

"Nah, Dragneel needs to know to lay off."

The blunette giggles. "Whatever you say, Lu-chan!"

Our conversation gets interrupted when said boy slams his face against the door's window aggressively. "Imgoingtokillher!" He yells, his head still smashed against the glass.

"Mr. Dragneel," Mr. Conbolt says sternly, after opening the door. "You're late."

Natsu mumbles an apology—the usual "I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again."

"This is the third time, Mr. Dragneel, and I've had quite enough of your empty promises. Detention after lunch. You can take your seat."

"Dammit!" Natsu yells angrily after sitting down. He whips around to face me. "You'll pay, Filia!"

Scoffing, I humor him. "I'm sure."

Loke flashes a smile at me from behind Levy, obviously thinking it was a winning one. "I'll protect you, darling."

I don't even spare the playboy a glance. "Fuck off, Loke."

He shuts up.

Gray whistles. "Harsh man," He slings an arm around my shoulder nonchalantly. "Say, babe, maybe we could do something sometime. Just you and me."

"Love-Rival!" Juvia hisses angrily.

_Oh. Poor Juvia._

I give the blue-haired girl a pitying glance. Gray didn't even notice her feelings for him. "You can have him, I don't really want a stripper on a date." I turn to said boy. "Unless you want that arm broken, Gray, I suggest you carefully remove it and GO THE HELL AWAY."

Gray pales and returns to his seat. I scowl. _Where the hell was Mr. Conbolt when I needed him? Oh. _The teacher was reading a 'history textbook' while making lustful expressions. The history textbook being some porn magazine. _My teacher is a frickin' pervert. Just like the other 99% of the school. Just great._ Mr. Conbolt forgets about the lesson plan and continues reading his magazine, and the class follows on by doing whatever they want. (Levy and I begin reading the next book in the series.)

"Lucy!"

I look up from the book. Mirajane Strauss was coming over to my desk. Her long white hair falls perfectly down, swishing slightly as she walks, a bright beam stretched across her face, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Hi Mira! What's up?"

Mira pulls a chair nearby, seating herself, and rests her elbows comfortably on our desk. "Just the dance next weekend!"

"Maybe I'll go," I say, running a hand through my blond hair. "But I don't have a date..." I slump back in my seat.

"No worries there!" Levy chirps. "Mira'll set you up! She can be a demon when it comes to match-making, but all her attempts were successes! If you can trust anyone, Lu-chan, it's Mira."

Mira blushes. "I'd love to! So Lucy, anybody you're interested in? I daresay they're interested in you!"

"Yeah!" Levy chips in. "I mean, you have those big chocolate brown eyes, like a doe."

"And those luscious blonde locks," The white-haired beauty fingers the golden strands.

"The sexy bottom!" Levy smacks my 'sexy bottom'.

"Levy!" I shriek, blushing madly.

"My, my," Mira giggles. "And not to mention your big breasts."

"Not you too!" I wail, burying my red face into my hands. "What are you guys, lesbo?"

They glare at me. I glare back.

"Look guys, a cat-fight!" An annoying voice yells.

Natsu.

Fucking.

Dragneel.

"What do you want Dragneel?" I snap.

"Chill, Luce," Natsu says, casually putting an arm over my shoulder. I smack it off.

"I can't help but hear you don't have a date." He says smugly.

"Well maybe I wasn't going." I growl.

"Are you interested in Lucy?" Mira asks, batting her long eye lashes innocently.

Natsu chortles. "Who would be?"

Mira frowns. "She's very pretty."

He snorts. "You call THAT pretty? That's the face of a bitch."

"The bitch who will kick your ass, Dragneel!" Levy growls, coming to my rescue.

"Keep out of this, shrimp." Gajeel says. He's tall and burly, with metal piercings across his face.

Levy only glares at him. "Who are you calling shrimp, you big ass bastard?"

"Now, now," Loke drawls. "You boys should know better than to trash talk with such beautiful women."

"Fuck off Loke!" Natsu and I say at the same time.

He adjusts his glasses spitefully. "I see I'm not welcome."

"What idiot thought that Natsu would be interested in blonde?" Gray leers, crossing his muscular arms over his bare chest. In the midst of the heated conversation, he seemed to have lost his shirt.

Mira starts sobbing. He seems stunned, and stammers apologies, before hugging her in an attempt to comfort her.

"Who do you think you're hugging naked?!" Levy shrieks, pulling the stripper off of Mira.

"Let go of me!" The raven-haired boy yells. "And who are you calling na-SHIT!" He runs up to me. "Excuse me, miss, can I borrow your under-"

I was about to punch Gray, but Natsu beats me to it. "Quit stripping!" He yells, sending Gray flying out the door. (Mr. Conbolt is still oblivious to it all.)

Natsu and I shoot daggers at each other.

Finally he smirks. "A date, huh?"

"Not like you'll find anyone, the bastard you are."

"You're not one to talk. You got looks, I'll give you that, but you're a total bitch. You're rude to everyone, you hate everyone, you don't even pretend to like them. Not that it really matters. No one will even want to look at you. You'll always be alone!"

***SLAP***

Natsu clutches his swollen cheek, wide-eyed.

My head is facing the ground, my bangs covering my eyes. But that doesn't stop the tears, that stream across my cheek.

"Shut up!"

Everyone stares, but I don't care.

"Don't talk about my mother that way asshole! Because she's dead. So don't even THINK for a moment that you know me. Because you don't. You know nothing, so quit your asinine comments, because you know nothing, Dragneel. And I hope that hurt. But you don't seem to feel. You don't seem to feel anything. So you won't understand. So quit trying to pretend like you do! Because, Dragneel, you're an ass. And if you want to make me into one, fine. But maybe look at yourself first."

"I-" He tries again.

"SHUT UP!" I scream.

Now even Mr. Conbolt has put down his magazine to watch.

"You're horrible. Inside, you're evil. The villain. The dragon in every fairy tale, terrorizing everyone. Maybe I'm unlucky. But you? You're worse than unlucky. _You'll_ always be alone."

The bell rings at that exact moment, and Mr. Conbolt stares as I briskly pick up my books and walk out the room. Levy and Mira exchange concerned glances, before rushing out after me. Gray, Loke, and Gajeel blink, before leaving the room dazedly. Everyone begins to leave, and Mr. Conbolt returns to his magazine, unable to enjoy it as much as before. And Natsu Dragneel stands in his spot, his hand still to his cheek. My words had hurt him, I knew. But they had hurt worse than the slap.

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><p><strong>AN:** **Um... Is this how you do it? This is my first fanfic, so I'm kind of curious to see what it's like. So, for people... out there... if you're reading this... I'm happy. Writing seems to take all the pain of reality away, even just for a little bit. And that little escape is okay. I read a couple of fanfics where Natsu was a jerk and Lucy was treating him the same, so I kinda fell in love with the idea of a rude Natsu who's mean. So, if you're one of the few who's reading this, I beg of you to review. Any feedback is appreciated, and I want to know if I should perhaps continue? It took me a lot of courage to post this. I'm not really one with a lot of self confidence... But! Constructive criticism would be the best! But beggars can't be choosers, so whatever you have to say, just say it. Please. I just want to know that someone has even read the title. Because that will make me happy too. Is this as long as it looks? I really should stop typing, but if I even get a single review, I'll post another chapter ASAP! I've already started. So, there, my non-existent readers, who I hope will become existent soon. I think I can do it once a week at least, but I'm determined not to abandon this story. I WON'T!**

**Also, if you feel like Natsu is a bastard and Lucy is a bitch, or any other derogatory thoughts, I promise you they'll gradually warm up to each other. So please don't let that stop you from reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Ohayō min'na! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter, here's the second! I put several line breaks, to show when the tenses change or when it reaches a new point or idea, like a flashback. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review!

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><p>First period, luckily, was my only class with Natsu Dragneel. I carried on, throughout the day, pretending nothing had happened. Only Levy and Mira noticed that my smiles were bigger than usual, my laughs louder than normal. Gajeel and Gray steered clear of me, but Loke tried to approach me at lunch.<p>

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><p>"Fuck off Loke!" Levy had said shielding me.<p>

"Listen, please, I just-"

"You and your friends hurt Lucy!" Mira said coldly.

It was the harshest tone I had ever heard Mira use... or even anyone. I knew then why she used to be nick-named 'The Demon Mirajane'.

"Guys," I said, with a bigger-than-usual smile. "It's okay."

Mira and Levy begrudgingly let Loke stand in front of me, giving him icy glares.

"I just wanted to say, I'm sorry. I didn't know your circumstances, and I wanted to apologize on Natsu's behalf."

My fists clenched. _So he was apologizing because he sympathized. Enough of everyone's condolences. Situations were excuses, things to hide behind. If someone was truly sorry, they wouldn't blame my actions for my mother's death._ I stood. "Fuck off Loke."

"Wha-what?!" Loke sputtered.

"I don't want your pity."

He looked deep into my eyes, while I was trying not to cry.

"I truly am sorry, Lucy."

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><p>Loke's visit had left me in a rotten mood. I hadn't listened to anything during chemistry, just stared at the wall with a sullen look. Now I was sulking in gym. We had swimming, unfortunately, with Aquarius. She insisted she be called simply Aquarius. You'd think she'd be nice, that way. No. She was the textbook definition of a <strong>bitch<strong>. She always fawned over her boyfriend, Scorpio. Admittedly, she didn't mind how revealing your bikinis were, or mind girls flirting with the boys in the pool (in fact, she encouraged it), and even gave detailed lessons about catching a guy's attention. But girls without any significant other had it hard. The swimming instructor would give them extra laps and punish them severely if she was in a bad mood. Not to mention that she **ALWAYS** rubbed in the fact that she had a boyfriend.

And so after Aquarius had taught Juvia how to seduce Gray, she started whining about how Scorpio was late for visiting her. The scowling swim coach barked an order at me to do fifty push-ups.

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><p>"Hell no, bitch." I snap.<p>

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Her blue eyes pierce mine frostily, hostility radiating from her very gaze.

_There's no getting out of it now_. "Hell. No. Bitch."

"Detention!" The swimming instructor growls, venom dripping from each syllable.

Aquarius doesn't let me change back, so I trudge back down the empty hallways with a yellow detention slip in my hand, feeling a little exposed, while also dripping wet with chlorine. The lack of clothing reveals my scars—light crisscrosses across my back. They were barely visible now, but a painful reminder of my father's temper. No doubt he'd renew them tonight after hearing about my outburst.

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><p>My small fist knocks on the door with a gentle rap.<p>

"Come in!" A deep voice yells from inside.

I slowly turn the knob and pull it open, to see an empty office with a plain pinewood desk, a shining metal plate with "Principal Makarov" proudly engraved in it.

"Look down."

Correction, a tiny balding old man. His white hair sticks out on both sides, each in a point. A white and golden cloak covers him. Overall, though, he seems like a loving grandfather.

I bow. "Principal Makarov,"

His eyes seem fixed somewhere... Above my midsection... On my chest.

"A-apologies for my attire, Principal Makarov. My teacher would not permit a change of outfits." My arms cover my chest embarrassingly.

His eyes then fix on mine. "Those eyes," He murmurs. "And that face... The exact replica of Layla. You must be her daughter, Lucy Heartfilia."

_How... Did he know?_

"N-no, I-I'm L-Lu-Lucy Filia." I stammer, a little too quickly.

Makarov gives me a somber expression. "My dear, it pains me to see you hiding."

"How did you know?" I whisper hoarsely.

At this, Makarov raises his chin. "I'd never forget the face of a friend, especially one as kind and beautiful as Layla Heartfilia."

_My mother... He knew my mother..._ A tear trickles down my cheek.

"Why are you crying? Tell me, how is she? We stayed out of touch for a while, nearly ten years..."

_He didn't know... That she's been dead. For ten years. This morning, I think I relived it... I don't... want to see her die again... Even in just my head._

"Sh-she-she's..." I sob uncontrollably. "She's dead!" I blurt, crying even harder.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

I freeze, and wipe my face, getting to my feet. "I apologize for my outburst. I am here because I spoke back to a teacher."

_Why do I sound like a fucking machine?_

Makarov's mustache twitches, amused. "And what did you say?"

"Hell no, bitch," I murmur quietly.

The principal bursts out laughing. Then he clears his throat. "Your punishment is to..."

"Hey old man!" A familiar voice calls from outside the door. The doorknob twists, and the door swings open. "Macao told me to see you after lunch. I got another tardy."

_No._

_NO._

**_NO._**

He grins in the doorway, his pink hair messier than usual, his cheek still red, an arrogant expression across his face.

_Natsu._

_Fucking._

_Dragneel._

_Damn him_.

He notices me, his eyes traveling up my body.

_What. The. Fuck. Was he checking me out?!_ (I was still in my bikini.)

But when he sees my face, he immediately turns to Makarov.

"What's your excuse this time, Dragneel?" The old man sighs exasperatedly.

_Oh shit._ _He's definitely going to rat me out. Convenient. I got him a tardy, then he badmouthed me and Mama, and then I slapped him._

I can feel his onyx eyes on the small of my back. _Dammit. Now I'm definitely going to have those scars renewed._ I shiver at the prospect. I force myself to look at him.

And...

He shrugs.

Makarov sighs again.

_He wasn't going to tell him? What?!_

"Your punishments are to-"

"Wait!" Natsu interrupts. "What'd she do? I thought Filia was a goody two shoes."

"She spoke back to a teacher," Makarov says nonchalantly. "Hell no, bitch."

"Oh. Okay." Natsu nods.

_Okay? Okay?! Since when was saying 'Hell no bitch' okay?!_

"Kiss each other!" Makarov grins.

"WHAT?!" Natsu and I scream at the same time.

_THE HELL?!_

"Eh, alright," He says, pulling me closer to him.

I ignore the fact that he has a nice manly smell to him... like peppermints, but manlier... _Dammit Lucy! You sound like Elfman! _I also ignore the fact that his well muscled arms feel really good. And that he was really warm. Partly by instinct, partly on purpose, I knee him in the... Well... Y'know.

He howls in pain on the floor, curled into a ball. "What the fuck Filia?"

"I'd rather die than kiss him!" I shriek, waving my arms around for emphasis.

Makarov sighs as the pink haired boy gets to his feet. "Fine. I'll call you two later to my once I decide on a reasonable consequence. But tell me, Lucy, how is your father?"

"Fine!" I reply, a little too quickly. I couldn't say anything to ruin my father's honor, especially with Natsu Dragneel around.

"What are those on your back?" Said boy says, pointing to the scars.

_Damn. He had good eyes._

"Th-those old things?" I say laughing uncomfortably. "N-nothing. Q-quit staring. Quit it!"

"These are scars..." Natsu mumbles. He looks up at me, concern swimming in his onyx eyes.

Unwanted memories flood my head.

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><p><em>A little blond girl crying over her mother's tomb. It was the day after the funeral. Rain pounded on her head, splashing puddles, moistening the dirt into mud. But the girl didn't care. Her tears are endless, her sobs uncontrollable. A man, cloaked in black, with the exception of his shock of golden hair, cropped short and business-like, and well-trimmed mustache, approaches her. She was used to getting slapped, though her mother discouraged it. The slaps weren't hard anyways, and weren't often. But whips? She had never gotten whipped before. The cloaked man produces one.<em>

_"Quit crying little girl!" The words ran through the air, sharp like a knife, but cold as ice._

_The little girl's brown orbs widened in fear, as she wiped her face hurriedly._

_"Good," The man's tone was still chilling. "Now, accept your punishment like a good girl."_

_He raised the whip high, bringing it down with incredible force and speed. It struck the little girl's back, tearing at her dress, cutting deep into her skin. Blood spurted, washing away in the rain. The man left, disappearing into the mansion. The girl shivered. A maid rushed out, bringing the girl inside. As she warmed by a fire, wrapped in warm fuzzy blankets, a bandage covering the wound, she cried silently. It was her first scar._

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><p>I begin to shake as tears begin to pool, and to my surprise, Natsu puts a hand on my shoulder, and says in a gentle voice,<p>

"I'm sorry,"

He removes his hand and disappears into the halls.

"Thanks Principal Makarov," I sniff, before following Natsu's example, and walking out the door.

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><p>"Hi Principal Makarov," I say timidly.<p>

Principal Makarov gives me a gentle smile. "Sit down, please."

I do.

"Lucy, I want you to reveal your identity as Lucy Heartfilia. I also want you to act like your true self."

_What?_ "My... True self?"

"Be the person who you truly are inside."

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. "An abused rich person's crybaby of a daughter?"

"Lucy Heartfilia, proud daughter of Layla and Jude. A kind girl with a radiant smile. I visited before your mother's death. You were only six years old, but your smile was contagious. The shine of a star could not compare to the sparkle in your eyes when you beamed a truly bright beam of sun of a smile. I knew you were Layla's daughter from the start of the year, and I watched you. When you smile, it's fake, dull in comparison to the joy you used to display. But then I saw you laugh. A true laugh. With a true smile. And I saw the little girl from that day."

The memory of that rainy day burns in my mind, but I push it aside. "Alright,"

Makarov smiles. "Good. And also, I've reconsidered your punishment. Yours and Natsu's. You'll help out with the school dance."

"REALLY?!" I jump up, grinning, not even resisting as usual.

Makarov nods. "Make it the best, brat, because the other schools are invited. Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, Quarto Cerberus, Mermaid Heel, and Blue Pegasus."

"Aye sir!" I salute him, beaming.

_Head of the school dance committee? Mira would be so jealous!_

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><p><strong>AN: Is it a little strange for Lucy to suddenly become so happy? I tried making it as subtle as possible, but... Ah well. I'm actually already on Chapter Four, except I'm also editing Three. Don't be surprised if some chapters change (subtly for the most part), because I constantly edit. Also, I want to apologize, in Chapter One, I said the teacher was Mr. Conell, which leads you to believe it's Alzack Conell. ****Gomen'nasai! I quickly changed it today when I realized. The teacher is supposed to be Macao Conbalt, father of Romeo. Because Alzack has Bisca! Anyways, if anyone wants a sneak preview of chapter 3 or anything, I guess I can. Review please! So far there's only been 2, but I'm hoping for more. Thanks for those two reviews, though, they made me very happy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Ohayō min'na! Sorry, this chapter's a bit of a shortie, but on the otherhand, I'll be posting the fourth chapter sometime soon. (Today) I got more reviews, which made me super-duper happy! Arigatōgozaimashita! And, yes, I'm copying and pasting from a translator because I can't spell in Japanese. Anyways, hope you enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!

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><p>"Hello, Father," I say, bowing low at the sight of Jude Heartfilia.<p>

His nose wrinkles in disdain at the sight of me. "Do not approach me in such scandalous attire. Wear something more fitting, then meet me in the study. I have an important matter to discuss with you."

"Yes, father," I bow again, gritting my teeth.

One of my maid's, Mrs. Spetto, leads me to my room. She helps me change into a dress—a frilly pink one. It was beautiful, but uncomfortable as hell. Slow, careful steps had to be taken while wearing it. I grumble under my breath while making my way to the study room. My father rarely spoke to me in person, unless it was for whipping me when he was in a bad mood. _What was so important?_

"Father," I bow again.

"How was school, Lucy?" I could tell from his tone that he could care less. But, he would have to find out about my revealing of my identity sooner or later. Not that he would mind, either way.

"Fine, father," I say curtly. "However, I'm going to reveal my true identity."

He raises an eyebrow. "What caused the change of mind?"

"My principal recognized me as a Heartfilia." I say honestly. Then I lie. "I delivered some papers from Aquarius-sensei to him today."

"Very well," He says, taking a seat at his office chair.

I follow in suit, and relax in a leather-covered seat facing his. He eyes me carefully.

"A lady musn't hunch down. She should sit straight and proper, prim and perm."

"Hai," I say obidiently, straightening immediately, biting back the retort and scowl.

"Good, now I wanted to discuss something. I want to unite the Heartfilia company with the Khorana Enterprise, through your hand."

_But... He couldn't possibly mean..._

"As in marriage?" I can't disguise the incredulity in my voice.

"Yes," He says firmly, then waves his hand in a dismissal. "I believe you have homework to complete."

I don't try arguing; my father had made it clear the matter was closed. _But... Marriage? I was only sixteen!_

Mrs. Spetto helps me to my room. "The nerve of your father!" She hisses angrily. "Great master and all, but he's lacking in the father side. Such a beautiful daughter too! Married off to some old man!" She puffs my pillow. "That better dear?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Spetto," I thank the maid sincerely.

"Anything for you, dear." The maid shuffles out the door, still ranting, though quietly.

_Marriage... I might not even get to graduate! What about my degree? What about college?_ All I could hope for would be that the old man dies.

With a sigh, I push the thoughts out of my mind. My father didn't even realize that it was a Friday. _Tomorrow, though, I'll have to attend the meeting for the dance commitee. And Natsu would be there because we were the leaders, apparently. How will he feel about it?_ I mean, I did slap him after all. _Why...? Why did I slap him again? Maybe... I just don't want to remember._ With that last thought in my head, I close my eyes and effortlessly fall into a deep sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: Gomen! I know it's super short! But I'm typing up the fourth chapter after this, and completing it. I'll be busy the rest of the week, but I think I might be able to fit some time in for the fifth chapter. Excited for the dance? I am! What's Lucy going to wear? What's the theme? Will she dance with Natsu? I know it's a little cliche, but... Well... Life is too. Seriously! I swear, sometimes I feel like someone could just straight away make a great drama out of my life. Anyways, hope you liked it! Like always, please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I know I promised to post this chapter Sunday, but my mom made me study for the spelling bee. Gomen! Seventh place, by the way. Not bad for a sixth grader, because I was up against seventh and eighth graders. My friend won first, though, and he's pretty much a child prodigy. Hope you like it and don't forget to review!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL.**

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><p>I wake up to the sound of my buzzing alarm, and with a tired hand, I slam around my nightstand before effectively silencing the perturbing noise. With a sigh, I stretch, slumping over to the mirror. My features contort in disgust. I am a <strong>mess<strong>. My usually shining blond hair is a bedhead, drool dotting the corner of my mouth. A quick glance at the alarm clock tells me I have about an hour before I have to be at the committee meeting.

After a quick shower, using my favorite strawberry-vanilla scented shampoo, I change into a white, blue, and gold vested crop tee and a black miniskirt with long, dark socks- one of my father's "scandalous" outfits. It was a nice change from my usual school uniform. Slinging a small bag over my shoulder, which contained a few plans for the dance, I head outside to see a black BMW, shining in the early morning light. A tinted window rolls down to reveal a pink-haired maid with an emotionless face.

"Ohayo, Hime," Virgo says, getting out and opening a car door for me. Once I'm in the car, she asks in the same toneless voice, "Punishment time?"

I ignore the fact that her eyes are gleaming a little more than usual. "Erm... No, Virgo, that's quite alright. Arigato for doing this!"

The maid's features soften slightly-the most emotion she's ever shown. "For you, Hime." She's silent for the rest of the ride, before pulling to a stop in front of Fairy Tail High, bidding me a brief farewell.

Gripping my bag a little tighter than usual, my heels clank against the cobblestone floor. A hand stretches out to open the door, only to find it... locked. _Damn._ I frantically bang on the door, desperately yelling for someone to show up, but no one does. _It's freaking cold out here!_ Defeated, I sigh, sitting back against the cool metal frame, sending shivers up my spine. The sun is hidden behind dark clouds, chilling the winter air tenfold. I whip out my phone, determined to call the number of some teacher in the faculty list, but my bad luck gets the best of me. Because that's when the universe decides to send rain pouring down on my head. _Well shit. How unlucky can you get, "Lucky Lucy"? _Lucky Lucy had been my mother's pet name for me before she died, but I didn't do it justice. I feel like crying again, but I hold it in. Now I just want to hide inside Hologram. Hologram was this giant grandfather clock that was big enough for me to go inside in when I was little, and even now since Father's recently enlarged the timepiece.

Lost in thought, I don't realize the rain has suddenly ceased. _No... Scratch that... It's still raining._ No, someone was blocking the rain. With wide eyes, I meet the gaze of my savior.

"Natsu?"

* * *

><p>"Natsu!" Erza Scarlet cries, seeing said boy herd in a shivering blond.<p>

_She looks terrible._ The red-head thought sympathetically. She wraps a blanket around the poor girl. "I'm Erza. Erza Scarlet. What's your name?"

"Lucy. Lucy H-" The girls breath hitches for a second. "My name's Lucy. A-arigato, Erza-san."

The Student Council President returns it with a warm smile. "Just Erza. We are comrades, are we not? If there is anything I can do to help a comrade, I'd gladly do it." She whips her head around to face Natsu. "Tell me everything that happened."

"Eh," Natsu says scratching his head.

Lucy sweat-drops. "Don't worry, Erza, I can tell you."

* * *

><p><em>"Natsu?" Lucy asks, her brown orbs widened in surprise, as she made eye contact with his onyx ones.<em>

_"Filia? What are you doing out in the rain?" He holds the umbrella closer._

_"I-I'm here for the meeting, same as you. But the door's locked." She mumbles, blushing lightly at his kind gesture and closeness._

_"You know, Filia, this is the first time you've spoken to me."_

_"Huh?" The blond looks up at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?"_

_"Like, actually talked to me without your guard on, or without sounding mean." Natsu explains._

_"Hmph..." Lucy says, refusing to look at him._

_"But you don't want to admit it, do you?"_

_"What the hell are you trying to say Dragneel?" Lucy snaps, inching away from him.  
><em>

_"I'm saying that you don't think I'm such a bad guy, but you don't want people to ask questions or anything, because you don't want them to know..."_

_"Why." The blond finishes, glaring at him. "I guess you've hidden a brain somewhere in there, Dragneel."_

_"Hey!" Natsu protests. "You didn't let me finish."_

_She arches an elegant eyebrow, then huffs in annoyance. "Okay, fine, continue!"_

_"I'm okay with that. So let's make a deal, kay? We'll keep being mean to each other at school, but other times, alone or whatever, we're normal. Deal?"_

_"What kind of fucking whacko deal is that?"_

_"DEAL?"_

_Another huff of annoyance._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"Deal..."_

_"YOSH!"_

_Natsu scoops her into a hug. Lucy blushes furiously._

_"THIS AIN'T NORMAL DRAGNEEL!"_

_"S-sorry!"_

_Natsu looks at the blond for a second. "You're shivering."_

_"Duh. It's cold."_

_He frowns. "You said you'd be normal, and only mean at school."_

_Another huff of annoyance._

_The pink haired boy grins_ at_ the shivering blond, before wrapping his own jacket around her shoulders._

_She smiles back at him. "Thanks, Natsu."_

* * *

><p>I felt proud of myself for telling the story of me in the rain to Erza, who had listened intently and nodded. Natsu and I glance at each other quickly. His mouth tugs into a small smile, as if saying, "Good save". I had told Erza almost everything. Almost.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Dragneel?" Lucy asks, her brown orbs widened in surprise, as she made eye contact with his onyx ones.<em>

_"Filia? What are you doing out in the rain?" He holds the umbrella closer._

_"I'm here for the meeting, same as you. But the door's locked." She says unblushingly._

_"Oh." He looks at the blond closely. "You're shivering. Here. Wear my jacket."_

_"Okay. Thanks." She wraps it around her shoulders, before he herded her inside._

* * *

><p>"Right," Erza says, shaking her red head clear of the previous ordeal. I can tell that she's still slightly dubious-not that I can blame her of course.<p>

She moves away from my side, muttering about missing committee members, and walks out, removing the previous warmth from my side. Unconsciously, I shiver.

"You cold?" Natsu asks suddenly. He hadn't spoken since I recalled what happened earlier.

"A-a little..." I murmur softly, pressing closer against the sofa.

"Come here." He says plainly.

"Wha-what?" I shoot up, flustered.

"Oi, you heard me. Just come here, and I'll warm you up."

I fight back a blush as I hesitantly sit beside Natsu. He snakes an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. _Dammit. He's actually kinda warm..._ My eyelids begin to droop, feeling heavy with exhaustion and cold from the rain.

"Just... this... once..." I mumble before falling asleep. I think I'm dreaming as I hear him say,

"Anytime, Luce,"

...

_Luce?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So what did everyone think? Did you like it? I'm trying to do a gradual Nalu, but I'm trying to give Natsu and Lucy their normal personalities and relationship in the anime/manga at first, before giving them a bit... more. Anyways, I have a lot of homework today, and my mom is absolutely... pissed. So what I plan to do everyday when I come home from school is update my chapters and insert new ones, that won't always be complete. It's a tad complicated, but this way I can get chapters in quicker for viewers during the week. This isn't a promise that I'll update everyday, because that would be a lie, but I'm doing my best. On a different note, who saw the new Fairy Tail opening? I'm not exactly "in the loop", so to say, but I hope this means the new season is coming out. I thought it was freaking awesome! And Natsu in his suit? And Lucy in the dress? Anyways, hope you liked this chapter, and don't forget to review! Below is a sneak preview of** **the next chapter.**

* * *

><p>I am definitely dreaming. The sky is a light pink shade, and the sun is a mere yellow blob in the sky. And I'm a blue cat, sitting on a couch, with wings, shouting "Aye!" while Natsu is petting me, flames dancing at his fingertips. But everything disappears when-<p>

"WHAT THE HELL?!"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Ohayo minna! I would have updated sooner, but I started a new fanfiction, called Timeless Love. I just got the idea and then absolutely had to put it down. It's a little more... tame, in a word, than this story, and also with a twist of tragedy. This is another incomplete chapter, but I really want to show that I am determined to continue this story. I'll try to finish this tomorrow, but my mom might make me study. Also, I want to thank H4H for their constructive criticism, because it really opened my eyes to some of the problems I haven't noticed, and also shared thoughts on some things I wanted to change. So I'm going to try to take it slow. Thanks, and don't forget to review!

* * *

><p>I'm definitely dreaming. The sky is a light pink shade, and the sun is a mere yellow blob in the sky. And I'm a blue cat, sitting on a couch, with wings, shouting "Aye!" while Natsu is petting me, flames dancing at his fingertips. But everything disappears when-<p>

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

* * *

><p>Erza's face was beet red, but her expression was one of shock-her eyes popping out her head, jaws slack. She had just gone to call the other members of the committee, but the last thing she thought she'd see was Lucy Hearfilia and Natsu Dragneel cuddling on the couch. Her shout had seemed to had woken up the sleeping Lucy, as the blonde's brown eyes fluttered open.<p>

* * *

><p>"Natsu...?" Lucy looks up at him.<p>

He grins down at her. "Hey, you're awake."

Lucy blushes, finding herself in his arms. And then she remembers their deal. She felt a little more than guilty as she pushes him off. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you jerk!"

Natsu's eyes flash with realization, and he retaliates. "It ain't my fault you decided to fall asleep in my lap!"

"Gah!" Lucy cried, for lack of better words. "I hate you!"

"Don't worry, Filia, I hate you too." Natsu assures the spluttering blonde.

Lucy hisses a curse under her breath, before turning to Erza. "So when are the other members arriving?"

"Soon," the redhead promises. "Gajeel, though, said that you offered him a ride. He was..." The president chooses her words carefully. "Rather upset that you forgot this arrangement."

Natsu makes an inaudible comment under his breath, which seemed to include words that sounded an awful lot like "luck" and "bass curd".


	6. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**A/N: Sorry if you were hoping for an update. I was thinking, what if I restart this story? Not abandon it, because I hate to think I'd do that, but restart. Same story, but I think I'm rushing it. And I'll immediately (not quite immediately, but you know, at normal pace) post new chapters and stuff like usual. Not saying this is definitely what I'm going to do, but the only two things I can do to fix it is do some huge editing and tell everyone not to read it, or delete the story and republish. Actually... I could replace the first chapter, and then delete the rest and then post it anew! What do you think I should do? I just want to take everyone's thoughts into consideration, to see if I'd have any readers after this... And I don't really want to delete because I like the reviews. It's selfish, I know... But... I'm in a conundrum here! **


	7. AUTHOR'S SECOND NOTE

**A/N: **

**Sorry again if you thought this was another chapter, but I've decided what to do based off of some of the reviews I've gotten. I am NOT deleting this, but I am going to undergo some serious editions. I _had _rewritten the first chapter and a half until my mom deleted it. *scowl* She has no idea I write fanfiction. She'd be pretty horrified if she ever found out. So back to square one. But I wanted to tell everyone what I'm going to do, and that I am actually working. But my dad's been monitoring my computer activities, lately, so I might post with some delays... Not to worry, though, because I'm not going to give up! So expect to see a better story soon!**


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